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Shams Charania delivered a clear message Friday regarding Ace Bailey’s future in Utah: he’s not going anywhere.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, the NBA insider shut down growing speculation that the Utah Jazz might trade the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The rumors intensified after Bailey did not immediately report to Utah following the draft, unlike fellow Jazz first-round pick Walter Clayton Jr.
“Clearly they had their eyes set on somewhere other than Utah, right? Whether that was Washington at No. 6 and it didn’t happen,” Charania said. “But this isn’t the first time a player wanted to go somewhere else and then didn’t land at the team that he wanted to go to. That’s the draft.”
“The Jazz are not going to be trading Ace Bailey. If he's playing in the NBA, he's playing for the Utah Jazz.”
– Shams Charania 🗣️
(via @PatMcAfeeShow)pic.twitter.com/X4y2e32KZA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 27, 2025
Bailey had previously expressed excitement about joining the Jazz during his post-draft media availability, calling it a “great opportunity” to showcase his game. Still, reports from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Tim Bontemps indicated that Bailey’s representatives informed at least one top-five team not to draft him — a move that added fuel to speculation about his willingness to play in Utah.
Shams Charania shuts down Ace Bailey trade speculation with Jazz
Earlier in the day, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Bailey had not yet arrived in Salt Lake City and hinted at a potential standoff between his camp and the Jazz. However, Bailey’s camp have since publicly affirmed his commitment to the franchise, and Charania reinforced that position.
“The bottom line is it’s Friday now, the Jazz don’t start Summer League practice until Monday so Ace Bailey could show up to Utah tonight, he could show up Saturday, could show up Sunday, and I guess at that point it’s a non-issue,” Charania said.
“As far as the conjecture… the Jazz are not going to be trading Ace Bailey. If he’s playing in the NBA, he’s playing for the Utah Jazz. That’s just a matter of fact,” he added. “Unless Ace Bailey is just sitting out of the NBA season and forfeiting $10 million dollars in his first year salary… that would be unprecedented. But that’s not something that has ever been done.”
Bailey, 18, averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 assists per game at Rutgers. He is expected to report to Summer League training camp ahead of Utah’s 2025 NBA Summer League debut in Las Vegas.
